Venus From Her Shell
by Vchanny
Summary: My entry for the Senshi & Shitennou Reverse Mini Bang 2019 over on Tumblr and AO3. It has been centuries since the kingdoms of the Earth and Moon have met. The beacon is lit, and Kunzite scrambles to prepare for the momentous event, which leads him on a journey home where he doesn't quite find what he's looking for, but maybe something better.


My entry to the Senshi Shittennou Reverse Mini Bang 2019. It's my first bang! Ever. So much thanks to the mods who put this together! It has been a lot of fun getting to know everyone and bounce ideas off each other. It really is a great group of talented people, and I am so proud and humbled to be a part of it this year.

First of all, and most importantly, give all the praise to the talented mochibuni whose art inspired this fic (please make sure to visit her Tumblr and leave her all the love: post/188563752054/.) It would not be here without her, nor without her answering my newb questions.

And much thanks to AdriannaSharp for being my (very first) beta. She's been super supportive, especially when I scrapped it all and called it garbage very late in the process. ^^;; It's been a great experience.

On a warm summer afternoon, on a sunny cliffside off the coast of the Aegean Sea, under the partial shade of a lone tree, lay a man on his back, hands clasped behind his neck, gazing up at the sky. He closed his eyes, enjoying the cool breeze from the water below, and the warmth of the sun's rays upon his tanned skin as they broke through the cover of the thin branches above. Days like this, with no duties to fulfill, were a rarity for him, and he planned to take full advantage of his free schedule before he was called back to the responsibilities of the royal court.

The tranquility of the moment was broken, as a shadow was cast across his face, blocking the sunlight. His eyes shot open, surprised not only to the disruption, but also that anyone could sneak up on him in such a way-there were few that could, and his brain quickly ran through the catalog of suspects as his eyes adjusted.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," he said in a flat tone, identity of the intruder determined, his voice a bit stale from laying there so long. "It's unsettling."

The figure standing over him was female, and a sly smile crept upon her features at his comment. "Do you wish to recant your invitation then, General?"

"Of course not," he replied with haste. A slight sigh escaped his lips as he propped himself upon his forearms, the fleeting moment of peace now gone. Her presence was not unwelcome, merely unexpected.

"I'm glad to hear that. What is it that you are doing anyway?" bright blue eyes asked, gazing down at him perplexed.

"Watching the clouds."

"With your eyes closed?" she teased. The woman thought to offer him a hand up, but quickly changed her mind and instead, took a seat on the patchy grass next to him, adjusting her dress to sit comfortably. "What do you see when you gaze up at them?"

He pondered the question carefully, deciding if there was any hidden meaning behind her words he needed to decipher first. His guest had a way of asking seemingly innocent questions that held much more meaning underneath the surface. "Nothing."

She smirked, not believing his answer at all. Quickly, she pointed to a cloud over the water. "There. That one. I see a ship."

He considered it a moment, examining the fluffy white shape. "I suppose."

"Stop being so serious, Kunzite," she chided while she playfully shoved his shoulder. "Clearly, that looks like a ship."

He cocked his head slightly, pretending to look at it harder, but shrugged, and resumed his position flat on the ground. "It only appears to be a cloud to me. My mind must not be as imaginative and fanciful as your own, I suppose."

She shook her head in mock exasperation, before letting out the most melodic giggle his ears knew, and moved to rest her head on his chest, nestling her much smaller form alongside his body. He inhaled the flowery scent of her golden locks as he worked to brush the unruly strands from her face, and planted a chaste kiss atop the crown of her head.

There was a time he wondered if he wanted to meet this girl at all, and now he could not imagine existence without her. Circumstances made things difficult at times, but every obstacle and hindrance were well worth the fleeting moments together.

It was several months ago, nearly a year, when he heard they would be introduced. The leaders of their two kingdoms had never met. It had been centuries since the two communicated, and even longer since the last sit down between monarchs and council. His kingdom, Elysian, to which he was a member of the esteemed Heavenly Kings, ruled the planet Earth. She hailed from the Moon Kingdom, an unreachable place to he and his people. Earth's people always had to wait for contact, not owning the same technology to make the trip as the Moon possessed. To this day, she still had not been able to disclose their methods.

The people of the Moon were a great mystery, shrouded by stories and legends. There were people on Earth who considered them Gods, and they built temples in their honor, making offerings and spent hours at prayer, in hopes the beings in the sky would hear them. Others feared them, and spread distrusting tales of spies, violent acquisitions, and war. Kunzite had only ever put thought into keeping the peace between the two groups, never really deciding if the otherworldly beings were friend or foe. His skepticism kept him somewhere in the middle.

The girl next to him was of Venus, supposed Goddess of Love, and fierce guardian to the Queen and Princess of the Moon. He had come to know her well over their time together, and the way she admired, but never plucked, the dainty wildflowers made those stories of the fierce and deadly warrior seem like a fairy tale. How could someone so lethal fit so perfectly in his arms? Meeting her, and getting to know her, forced the general to expand his perceptions and face his own prejudices.

The announcement that the two kingdoms would be meeting arrived early one morning before the sun had risen. Kunzite had been awoken abruptly by a guard assigned to the eastern quarter of the castle grounds. The beacon, a raised marble sundial, was glowing. No one alive at the time had ever seen it glow, but they all knew what it signified. Kunzite haphazardly threw on proper clothes and raced to the secluded garden where the dial resided. By the time he arrived, an ethereal feminine figure covered from head to toe in an iridescent hooded robe stood before them.

As Kunzite approached, she bowed and presented a scrolled parchment, sealed with silver wax to him. Before he could utter a word, he and a handful of guards were blinded by a bright flash. She had disappeared, only tiny flecks of her magic lingered in the air where she had stood.

Mesmerized, Kunzite starred until the last of the magic faded into the darkness before turning to his subordinates. "Go. Get the others. And tell no one what you've seen."

The nervous men nodded, gave a short salute, and took off running, disappearing into the maze of plants that surrounded them, leaving Kunzite to right himself, his skin still prickled where the specks had landed.

The others he called for were the remainder of the Heavenly Kings. They were four. Zoicite was already awake, and appeared quickly, eager to hear the news. This came as no surprise to Kunzite; the boy never seemed to sleep. One could often find him in the libraries studying texts that hadn't been touched in decades. The boy consumed knowledge like none he had ever seen before.

The burly Nephrite appeared next, still tucking his shirt into his trousers as he reached the garden. If Zoicite was their brain, Nephrite was most definitely their muscle. He was a master at nearly every weapon in the armory, and Kunzite relied on him to keep their armies in top shape.

The last of the group, Jadeite, was another story. While an important member of the team, and impressive fire reader, one of the only magics Earth seemed to possess, he still had the defiance and temper of any other sixteen year old male. It drove Kunzite mad. After impatiently waiting for another five minutes, Kunzite tucked the scroll into the inside pocket of his jacket, and marched toward the missing member's chamber. A defeated looking guard met him at the door.

"It's locked, sir. I've been trying. He won't wake to open it."

With an impressive amount of strength, Kunzite kicked the door, breaking the locking mechanism, and sent it crashing into the wall it was hinged to. A female shrieked and pulled the plush bedding over her head. Next to her, sat up the younger Heavenly King, raking his hand through his unruly blonde hair.

"What?"

Kunzite raised a brow in irritation, still taking slightly deeper breaths after the exertion of entering. Not only was Jadeite ignoring his call to convene, he had a girl in his room against orders. Again. "Did you not hear that beating upon your door the past twenty minutes?" he bellowed, anger evident in his voice.

"Not at first." Jadeite waggled his brows suggestively, then began tickling the body under the covers next to him.

Patience long gone, Kunzite quickly crossed the room, grabbed the boy, seven years his junior, by his upper arm, and tossed him out of the bed and onto the floor.

Jadeite groaned, rubbing his sore side. "What the hell?"

"Get dressed," he sternly stated while showing him the sealed parchment, but keeping it hidden from his guest's eyes.

Jadeite's eyes widened in recognition. "Is that…?"

"My chambers. Five minutes." Kunzite turned to exit, leaving the nude boy starting after him bewildered.

The letter revealed that the Moon Queen would be making a visit after the next cycle of the Moon: Twenty-seven Earth days. Before he broke the news to the King and the rest of the court, who were surely still sound asleep, Kunzite set his men to work. Zoicite, naturally, was to scour the libraries for anything that referenced their visitors. Jadeite was to discreetly ride to check his home kingdom to the East for any information they may not have there already-as one of the last meetings, several hundred years ago, occurred there. Nephrite would assist in coordinating palace security to accommodate the occasion, and help read through passages as necessary.

It was several days later, Kunzite, Nephrite, and Zoicite were all in the library, each looking through volumes and records. Zoicite had a desk to himself, towering stacks of books arranged in neat stacks, sorted by category, ready to assign. The other two sat nearby at a table of their own, with significantly less books, and less enthusiastic expressions.

Nephrite was listlessly flipping through the pages of a book when he stopped, and looked over to his leader. "So, he had a girl in there again?"

"Can you concentrate on nothing else?" he bit back, tone as even as ever, not looking up.

Nephrite shrugged, not caring. Talking about Jadeite was far more interesting than reading. "It's just that, you've told him time and time again, not to do it, and then you catch him, and he gets to go on a special mission as reward?"

"This," Kunzite gestured with a free hand, then made eye contact, "Takes precedent. His punishment is coming."

"I'm just saying, I follow your rules, I deny myself a good time, and I get stuck on book duty?" came his impudent reply, a slight smirk on his face.

Kunzite's eyes shot daggers, hoping to put a stop to this conversation altogether. He wasn't in the mood.

"Interesting," Zoicite called out and broke the tension. "It says here the Mercurians have developed advances in mining production, crop yield, and preventing infections during surgeries, among others. Fascinating. If this goes well, perhaps they would be willing to share information."

Kunzite silently thanked the interruption. Having another lively discussion about why it was imperative to not pursue romantic relationships, instead to focus on their duties, and why that did not make him a pretentious bastard, was not on the list of things he wanted to do today. Romance and sex complicated things. One day, they would all be free to do as they wished, but as of now, their Prince needed their complete focus and dedication.

"You are a hopeful one. As if they would just share all of that on a whim after not speaking to us for a century," Nephrite stated doubtfully. "This one just says the Guardians can control lightning and fire. Let's hope we make a good impression," he concluded with a light hearted, nervous laugh.

Kunzite pinched the bridge of his nose, all hope of a fruitful afternoon lost. How many times had he read this same set of passages? "All I've got are ancient legends that I've heard a thousand times before." He closed the book in frustration. "There is no way to tell fact from fiction. Can these women really control the elements? Manipulate the natural forces of nature? Blink, and a magical weapon appears in their hand? I want facts, not this fanciful fiction, written to garner the attention of passing ears."

"We can just assume it's all true. Better than underestimating them," Zoicite chimed in.

Kunzite looked to Nephrite for his thoughts, but was only met with a shrug. He sat the book down and tapped the cover with his index finger. "I'd like to know if the rumors of the head guard are true. There are tales here of her cutting down a hundred men in mere minutes; All with a mere flick of her wrist. There is another of a holy chain she can manipulate with her mind alone." He paused and looked at them both, trying to convey his apprehension to the younger two. "If something goes wrong and this is not a peaceful visit, I'd like to be prepared. It is easy to get swept into the fantasy of it all, but there is a credible threat here. How would we defend ourselves against such a force?"

"Why would they warn us of a visit, then? There is no strategy to that. We shouldn't assume they'd attack."

"We have to prepare for the worst, Zoicite, even if the chances are slim. Could you live with yourself if something were to happen to Endymion? No one alive has met them, at least not that we know of."

"Correction," called a voice from the hall.

"Jadeite. Welcome back," Nephrite greeted, and grabbed the next volume from his stack, eager to be done for the day.

"Was your trip productive?" Kunzite asked, standing to give a proper greeting, welcome to this new interruption and hoping for good news. Jadeite might have been rebellious when it came to the fairer sex, citing an unquenchable fire in his loins more times than Kunzite cared to hear, but he never failed to come through when things were asked of him concerning their duties.

Jadeite shook the offered hand and took a seat across from him. "They are bringing up all the texts mentioning the Lunar Court now. I brought only the volumes that seemed useful. No need to read the same literature." He heaved a leather satchel from across his body and placed it before him on the table. "I brought these back personally." He pulled out a set of scrolls from the pouch. "These are recorded personal accounts of interactions with celestial beings."

"Something actually useful, then," Zoicite greedily snatched one out of his hand, and returned to his seat as swiftly as he'd left it.

Jadeite glared. "Could have asked." After being met with a childish sneer, he handed the remainder of the scrolls to the others dividing them up evenly. "Most are pretty old, but there might be something useful in one of these."

"We can only hope," Kunzite replied with a nod to thank him, before opening up his first scroll.

The late afternoon light turned to twilight, and the group retired for the day, eyes aching and necks stiff.

On his way to make the day's report to the King, Nephrite stopped Kunzite in the hall, offering him one of the rolled parchments. "It might be nothing, but there was an account described in this that sounds like it might be from your homeland, about a decade back. With any luck, they might still be around."

Kunzite accepted the scroll with an affirming nod. "Thank you, brother."

Nephrite had been right, Kunzite discovered the event recorded originated in a city near the coast, the city of Tlos, which was near his own home. After making his report to the crown, Kunzite requested permission to follow this lead himself. He could have sent competent emissaries to complete the task, and perhaps should have, but in truth, if he had to sit in the palace library another moment and listen to the bickering of who had been assigned to read what, or drown in the silence that came over after it was settled, he might have lost his mind. He knew Nephrite, like himself, preferred to take physical action, and almost invited him along but thought better than to leave too many seats unfilled at such a crucial time.

He left two days later, and arrived five days after that, himself and two royal guards he trusted. Normally the royal seal would have opened up every ounce of hospitality and generosity, but for the sake of keeping a low profile, Kunzite and his men arrived in more plain clothes, making them seem as merely a nobleman and his aides, as not to cause a stir. His men found adequate lodging, while Kunzite made to find the city's highest official, to officially announce his presence and request cooperation for his investigation.

They spent two days searching, and there was not a soul who know of the man, Yunus, the scroll spoke of. One of Kunzite's soldiers heard from a greyed sailor on the docks that the proprietor of the tavern on the far east end of the shore-front might know, as he knew all the locals and met most traveling through the region. It was as good of a lead as any.

Skeptical, Kunzite made his way to the tavern before the dockhands finished their daily work and swarmed the building. When he arrived, there were just a few patrons occupying the tables, and a man standing behind the counter washing beer steins. "Are you the owner of this establishment?" Kunzite asked in an even tone taking a seat nearby.

The middle aged man looked up and nodded. "That I am. How may I help you?"

"I am looking for a man who goes by the name of Yunus Alim. I heard you might know where I could find him."

There was a short pause as the man inspected Kunzite. His unusual silver locks made him appear a foreigner in his own kingdom, and the man stared at him with an leery glare. "I don't give information to bounty hunters."

Kunzite tried to put on a friendlier face, knowing he must have looked the part he was accused of. "I'm no bounty hunter, and I mean Mister Alim no harm. That I can assure."

He considered this a few moments, still undecided. "Who did you say you were again?"

"I didn't. But if you must know, I am an emissary from Elysian. Mister Alim may have information that is most valued by the crown. It is important that I speak with him if possible."

The older man smirked, a glint in his eye. "The crown you say? For the right price, I might know where Yunus is."

Annoyed, Kunzite abandoned his attempt to be friendly and pulled a pouch from his pocket, setting a few gold coins on the counter. He wasn't one to give in to demands and offer bribes, but he'd been instructed to remain discreet, and breaking this greedy miscreant's nose was the opposite of showing discretion.

Eager hands pocketed the coins. "Rumor has it," he leaned in close, looking both ways before continuing with a hushed voice, "A two day's ride north, there's a little town devoted to the Goddess that Yunus made pilgrimage to. He's a supposed big part of the community there, though he may have changed his name-I'm not sure. Ferries lost souls there to start their lives over he does."

"Rumor is it?" Kunzite asked dangerously, and was met with a nod. "I'll be back if it's not."

The next morning, before the sun parted with the horizon, Kunzite and his men began their journey north up the coast. Kunzite prayed this would not be a futile effort. Never before had he wished so badly to have either Nephrite or Jadeite's powers of foreseeing. Nephrite had once tried to show him how to read the messages he saw in the stars, but Kunzite did not have the sight. Perhaps he should have brought one of them along afterall. Knowing whether or not he was heading in the right direction would be a welcome relief for his loud thoughts. Soon, he'd need to return to prepare for the Moon Court's arrival, and every day spent with nothing to show was leaving him more and more agitated.

As they crested the peak of a rocky mountainside the final day of their trek, they were greeted with the sight of the temple the city so lovingly called it's own. It stuck out from the rest of the landscape, the city below melting into the terrain, it's white domes reflecting the sun's rays, and the gold accents brilliantly playing with the light reflecting from the waves and above from the sky. The temple was like a beacon. Kunzite could see why people were drawn here.

The sun had begun it's daily descent when they arrived, and the air was filled with the delightful smells of food prepared for the day. Their bellies growled with anticipation of a good meal, and they quickly found a place to board their horses before making their way to the city center, where most of the city had seemed to gather to eat. It was like a giant banquet, with no guest list. What was most surprising to the group was how many women lived here. There seemed to be very few men around at all. Kunzite supposed it must have been a fishing village of some sort with all the men out to sea. Although, his inspection of the port suggested otherwise.

Bellies full, Kunzite and his men sought out the man Yunus, for whom they came to find. If he were as renowned as the barkeep suggested, Kunzite hoped this would be a quick task. Surely, he'd be known to many and a location easy to ascertain.

He would be wrong.

Many had kind words to say about the man they searched for. They told tales of how he helped them escape dire circumstances, poverty, or how he convinced them to leave a life of subservient prostitution and make a better life here, under the protection of the Goddess, which explained all the women living here. Unfortunately, those tales also came with the somber news that Yunus had perished in a fire several months ago. People had been trapped inside, and he died trying to get them out. He had a son, Haluk, who stayed nearby, they all said, but no one knew of his exact whereabouts. He had become a recluse of sorts since his father passed.

Frustrated, Kunzite dismissed his men for the evening, and sat at a table in the corner of a pub to drink away his agitation, alone. It was not long before a large breasted, pretty faced blonde sashayed over to him. She approached him like a predator about to catch her prey, and the look on her face did not escape his attention. She brushed her large braid over her shoulder, and leaned over the table, resting her forearms on the surface, doing her best to show off her assets to the handsome stranger.

"You look new here. I've never seen such a magnificent looking man. You are striking. Hair the color of men twice your age, but all your youthful features. What's your name, darling?" She reached over and tried to run a hand through his long silver hair, but he caught her hand and gently directed her to return it.

"I'm looking for someone," he answered briefly after taking a sip from one of the cups on the table, hoping to show enough disinterest that the young woman would leave.

She shot him a seductive look and moved to touch him again. "Look no further. I'm sure we could have some fun."

Kunzite avoided her again, wishing hard she would just take her leave, and went to take another sip from his cup, but found it empty. He frowned and placed it next to the other empty containers starting to colonize the surface, made eye contact with the tavern maiden, indicating he would have more, before he looked back to the blonde in front of him. It wasn't that she wasn't attractive, but Kunzite was not one to give in to sins of the flesh. He would definitely not risk a bastard heir appearing and trying to take claim to his title, which was a concern he tried to instill in his younger fellows regularly, albeit in vain. His head involuntarily shook disappointingly thinking of one of them in particular. "While I'm sure that is true, I am not interested."

She scoffed, and stood up straight, hands placed on her hips, clearly offended.

"Miss, unless you know the whereabouts of Haluk, the son of Yunis Alim, we have no business together."

She stole the freshly arrived ale from his table, took a gulp, and then leaned in close. "You're missing out." Slamming the cup down, she turned on her heel and sauntered away, purposefully swaying her hips in an exaggerated manner, catching the eye of several other patrons.

Kunzite rolled his eyes, and quietly finished the remainder of his ale, happy to be free from the girl's attention.

With no further leads, Kunzite left the establishment with his men, who'd also managed to escape the tavern's female predators. When they reached their lodging for the night, he parted ways and kept walking, knowing sleep would not come anytime soon. He clasped his cape back on his shoulders, the air having taken a significant drop in temperature since they'd first entered the pub. The streets were still filled with people wandering home, or off to their next drunken destination, and he slipped by rather unnoticed. His feet lead him to the base of the steps of the impressive temple they had first seen earlier. The building was much more ornate than it originally appeared. The carvings and gold inlay of the columns leading to the entrance were extraordinary. He took a moment to trace his hands across them as he made his way to the entrance, taking time to appreciate their intricate beauty. By the torch light, he could make out the carvings, which depicted the Goddess this temple stood to praise, in various scenes from the many myths that bore her name.

They seemed to follow a loose chronological order. The first, the Goddess emerging from the foam of the sea, a well known tale of her origins. After that, there was a carving of the fierce golden warrior riding a chariot into battle against what looked like giants. Following, a scene depicting the golden Goddess bringing fated lovers together over a long distance. The next, the guardian participating in some sort of sporting event against what seemed to be another celestial being. Another, the Goddess surrounded by swollen pregnant bellies and cherub newborns. The last, the Goddess in a protective stance, holy sword in her grip, a dreamlike landscape behind her.

As he reached the entrance to the building, the flooring changed from white stone to a smooth, scalloped red material. The walls were a smooth, white sand texture, adorned with pieces of marble, separating the flooring from the walls. Fires contained to small metal basins lit the pathway, casting shadows on the wall from the ornate pedestals carrying baskets of myrtle, pomegranates, and other offerings. Hand carved doves, made from many different materials, surrounded many of the columns. At first Kunzite found this curious, but then remembered that some had chosen this way to ask for favors from the Goddess. They believed their wishes would take the form of the dove, and spread their wings, flying away to reach her ears.

It wasn't long before the hallway opened into a large chamber. The plain, rounded walls met in the back to reveal an alcove carved into the wall. There stood a marble statue, over twice the height of any man, nestled in a clam shell carved of stone, the symbol of Venus proudly displayed above on the wall. She wore a friendly smile upon her face, inviting all to come and meet her, to revel in her beauty and grace; to accept her love. Her mighty chain, rising from the shell, hovering around her form, although beautiful in all it's gold and ruby, did not give him the same sense of ease.

[Mochi's art here. Go to her Tumblr! Seriously.]

He knew how deadly it was said to be. He had heard how she could wield it with her mind, make it bend to her will; How she silenced her foes in a swift, frightful, effortless motion. How could such a fierce and lethal fighter look so serene? So at ease? Was it smugness that came with such power? Condescension, knowing she could not be beat? Was she the savior people praised, helping those who needed her most, or an unrelenting gavel that struck those down who opposed her Queen's rule? What was Earth to her? How could their insignificant selves be of any interest to someone such as her?

"Don't stare too long," a voice broke the silence. "She'll haunt you."

Kunzite quickly turned and found the origin of the voice, hand resting instinctively on the hilt of his sword, and shot an accusing glare, daring the man to speak, urging him to step from the shadows.

"Your dreams," the voice continued and took a step forward, revealing a middle aged man of average build, dressed in robes that Kunzite could only surmise belonged to the temple.

"What of my dreams?" Kunzite asked, his hand relaxing on his sword, not feeling threatened any longer./p

The older man took a few more steps forward, hands clasped behind his back. "She'll haunt your dreams if you lose yourself staring. The Goddess does not take kindly to those who gawk at her beauty."

"I was more intrigued by her strength."

The man raised a brow. "She is both fierce in her looks and on the field of battle, this is true."

There were a few more moments of silence as they both started up at the beauty. "You are the son of Yunus. Haluk, correct?"

A nod. "I am."

"I was hoping to make your acquaintance."

"So I was told."

"I was told your father had an encounter with Venus. I was hoping his account of the tale could answer some questions."

"This is true. It is also how I know her beauty will haunt your dreams. All who look upon her are stricken. But to whom am I to answer questions?"

"I apologize," Kunzite turned to meet the man, and offered a salute. "I am General Kunzite. I am here on behalf of the King of Elysian. We are gathering information on the Moon Court. I was especially interested in the head of her guard."

"I see." He stroked his beard, seemingly lost in thought. "All I know is, that after my mother passed away, he was left heart broken, and was drinking his sorrow away, as one would. One night, he claimed the Goddess visited him, moved by his broken hearted prayers, and she convinced him he could honor his wife by coming here, and continuing her work to help young women."

"And you never saw her?"

"Me?" Haluk shook his head. "No. To be honest, I don't know if she actually visited him, or if it was a drunken dream. However, I do know that it saved his life, and for that, I am thankful." He smiled up at the figure, before looking back to the other man in the room. "I am sorry I could not be of more help, General."

"I appreciate you seeking me out. I am sorry for the loss of your father. It seems he was a brave, goodhearted man. That can be hard to come by. Be proud of his legacy."

Haluk thanked Kunzite, and offered him a carved dove to leave an offering with. Kunzite accepted it kindly and bid him good night. He stayed a while longer, rolling the stone figurine in his hand, thumb brushing over the finely carved details on the wings. Looking up to the statue one final time, he wished he'd discovered more on this trip. Then, he set the figurine down and turned to leave.

Back at the room he'd procured for the night, rest still did not come to Kunzite. This entire journey was a near waste, and he cursed himself for coming in the first place, for having the hope that something would come from such a wishful errand. How could he be so foolish to think anything useful could have come from tracking down this man and his son? What could they have told him that he simply could have read?

He tossed in his cot, trying to find relief from the straw ends poking his skin, finally finding comfort on his side seemingly hours later. As he began to close his eyes and finally succumb to sleep, he suddenly felt as if he were being watched, and he felt his skin prickle as if a chill had just come over him. His fingers quietly found the grip of his sword next to him on the ground, and his muscles tensed as he prepared to meet the intruder. Just as he was ready to strike, a gentle hand touched his shoulder, followed by a whispered hush. Perplexed, he turned his head to find a blonde woman stooped over him. Her long blonde hair cascaded over her shoulder, shielding her facial features, and for a moment, he thought the brazen woman from the tavern had followed him home. His nostrils, however, were filled with citrus and honeysuckle, and knew it couldn't be the same woman from before.

He sat up in his bed, heart beating faster than usual, and gazed up at the woman who was now standing before him, finger raised to her lips, commanding silence, features still masked in the darkness. Not wanting to wake others nearby, nor deny her, he obliged, and took the hand she offered, rising to his feet and followed her out of the building. Following a strange woman felt foreign to him, never once been lured away by a pretty face, but he found himself compelled to follow, whether by the lingering effects of the alcohol, or the intense fatigue that threatened to consume him, he couldn't say.

She lead him behind the building, and towards the shore, like a siren luring away her prey. His feet carried him even as his brain was trying to force them to stop. Who was this woman? She didn't seem menacing. Her hand was barely grasping his; Her fingers a whisper on his skin. It would be nothing to break free. Where was she taking him? The beach? The crashing waves grew louder in his ears, disorienting him more. No. He needed to get back. He was to return home in the morning. 'Endymoin,' he thought to himself. A chill ran through his body. As if escaping her spell, he tugged back on her hand as they reached the sand, refusing to go further.

"This is far enough, I imagine," she said softly, letting go and turning to meet his gaze, the wind blowing her hair off to the side and out of her face.

It was difficult in the dark, with just the light of the moon to see, but Kunzite felt his jaw slack as recognition hit, and he forced himself into composure as to not embarrass himself. It was only after his initial shock faded that he felt something familiar in his palm, and his ability to speak left him again. He knew without looking that it was the figurine from before, the one he'd left behind. He looked to her to ask, to get some information, anything, but was met with a mischievous grin.

"I heard you were asking about me."

Was this a dream? The haunting Haluk warned him of? "I-" Kunzite cleared his dry throat, gaining his composure. "That is, yes, I was," he stuttered. He squeezed the dove in his hand, then offered it back to her, palm up. "If I'd known about this method, I could have saved myself the trip."

"You could have waited a week's time, and not bothered at all," she countered playfully, revealing she knew who he was. "But, I take it you are not that sort of man."

"And what sort of man is that?" he questioned boldly, now feeling more himself, more confident.

She carefully took the dove figurine and began to examine it, ignoring his question momentarily, as it purposefully making him wait for fun. "The type who sits around and waits. You appear to be more the sort that is proactive and cautious, not jumping into anything haphazardly or blind."

He caught himself admiring the fine curve of her cheekbones, before their eyes met and she smirked knowingly.

"That is why you were inquiring, correct? To learn something before we met?"

Kunzite broke free of her charms once again, and straightened his posture. "Surely, you like to know those you are to meet, as well. There is not much information here on Earth of your kingdom. I was merely attempting to prepare." He bowed politely. "Now that you are here, perhaps we can before better acquainted."

She smiled curiously. "I think I might like that."

Kunzite looked over to the girl next to him on the grass, still pointing out shapes in the clouds, insisting he agreed with her. Their initial meeting felt like decades ago, even though it had been not quite a year. Nothing came of their monarchs meeting. The Moon Queen had apparently been assessing whether or not the Earth was fit to join her Silver Alliance, though she did not let on to it during the stay. She was as cordial and as polite as expected. Venus only later told him of her expectations, and how they fell short. The Earth did not fit the criteria, and the Moon Queen had decided to continue monitoring the planet. Venus never divulged what they had been looking for; he would never betray his kingdom to a lover, and he never expected her to, either.

In fact, the return to normalcy after the frenzy that led up to the event was welcoming. There was uncertainty in allying with the alien kingdoms, and the Earth had enough to deal with as it was.

Kunzite was in no hurry to join some alliance and be bothered by matters that did not concern him. He was busy enough keeping his current affairs in order, and in some cases, kept secret.

He reached down and gently squeezed her hand in his, earning him a gentle peck on the cheek in return./p

No, he was quite content with the way things were.


End file.
